Innovation with Mark Peter Davis

Interplay
  • 5.0 (46)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Innovation with Mark Peter Davis, a podcast dedicated to innovation, truth, and education. Through fireside chats with entrepreneurs, industry leading executives, and creative minded business folk, I'll highlight the society altering transformations that are happening all around us while providing crucial entrepreneurial advice. Pickup tips from founders who sold their company for hundreds of millions of dollars. Discover how everyday materials and goods are being reinvented by science. Learn about the current state of space exploration and the space industry from the CEO of a rocket company. Join him on this expedition to learn about the innovations that are changing our world and the way we exist. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Medium.

  1. 2d ago

    Building Bombas: Dave Heath on Mission, Product, and Brand Discipline

    Socks are the #1 most requested item at homeless shelters. Dave Heath turned that single fact into Bombas — a one-for-one apparel brand that's donated over 200 million items of clothing and built a billion-dollar business along the way. What makes Dave a builder worth studying isn't just the scale; it's the discipline behind it: reverse-engineering an exceptional product from a mission, learning to test before betting, and protecting a brand as it grows. In this episode, I sit down with Dave to break down: • How he reverse-engineered an "exceptional product" from a donation mission — and brought athletic-sock innovation to the mass market • The Shark Tank breakout: from $800K to $2M in revenue in the six weeks after airing — and why ~20% of customers still affiliate Bombas with the show • The expensive lesson of expanding into adjacent products too fast — and the MVP-testing discipline that replaced it • Why the "obvious" extensions (underwear, t-shirts) underperformed while a sleeper bet (slippers) became 20% of the business • Radical-ish transparency: telling the whole company about a planned IPO and trusting adults to keep it quiet — and they did • The mark of a great founder: the self-awareness to evolve his own role as the company scaled, and how he screened his successor for humility • How Bombas is approaching AI — getting the whole company trained on Claude and Claude Code, and why building AI as a competency beat chasing shiny enterprise tools Big thanks to Dave for coming on the pod and sharing the playbook — and the mindset — behind Bombas. ⏱️ Chapter Markers: 00:00 — Intro. An epic New York brand story 01:05 — What is Bombas? The one-for-one mission and 200M+ items donated 02:37 — Reverse-engineering an exceptional product. Athletic-sock innovation goes mass market 04:49 — The story before the story. An entrepreneurial upbringing and the "candy dealer" founder type 09:00 — The Shark Tank breakout. From $800K to $2M and the deal with Daymond 11:48 — Expanding beyond socks. The costly lesson of adding complexity too fast 14:27 — How to filter adjacent products. The slipper sleeper hit and MVP-testing over big bets 18:00 — Radical(-ish) transparency. Trusting the team with the data and a planned IPO 19:39 — Evolving the founder's role. Screening a successor for humility as the company scales 24:03 — Life beyond the day-to-day. Family. Hobbies. And a retreat full of founder regrets 26:14 — Staying a united front. Backing the team without undermining them 27:50 — AI as a tidal wave. Training the whole company on Claude. Competency over shiny objects 31:20 — The pace of change. Why this revolution moves in months not centuries 31:56 — The wand question. Cutting waste out of fashion and apparel 34:35 — MPD's closing thoughts. The discipline behind a brand built to last Links: Dave Heath: LinkedIn Bombas: Website, LinkedIn, X Interplay: Website, LinkedIn, X MPD: LinkedIn, X

    36 min

  2. Jun 4

    Overlooked No More: How Smalls Is Building The Brand Cats Deserve

    Cats are 40% of the pet market, but are somehow still chronically overlooked. Every innovation goes to dogs first. Even your vet's office is built for dogs first. Matt Michaelson, cofounder and CEO of Smalls, and his team have built an incredible cat-first brand precisely because of that blind spot. In this episode, I sit down with Matt to break down: • Why the cat industry is structurally underinvested (which includes VCs simply saying "I don't really like cats") • What "human-grade" actually means for pet food — and the sustainability trade-offs nobody talks about • Ingredient splitting: the regulatory hack that lets pet brands disguise what's actually in the bag • "Wrestling in the mud": a feedback culture where every hire is expected to disagree • Founders Pledge, and why committing 5% early changes the giving conversation later Big thanks to Matt for coming on the pod and sharing the playbook behind Smalls. ⏱️ Chapter Markers: 00:00 — Why cats keep getting overlooked 01:05 — What is Smalls? Cat-first brand, human-grade nutrition 02:09 — What "human-grade" actually means (and the sustainability trade-off) 04:26 — Health impact: allergies, ingredient splitting, and the regulatory hack 06:31 — Why Matt chose cats: the market psychology nobody's pricing in 07:20 — Why every VC and pet brand defaults to dogs first 09:21 — From growth marketing to founder: building demand in a commoditized stack 11:48 — Emerging channels worth watching (and why DTC is just a channel, not a model) 13:17 — AI-native orgs: how the team uses AI without becoming a tech company 16:01 — Human-supervised AI teams and what entry-level jobs look like now 17:26 — "Wrestling in the mud": the air-grievances feedback culture 19:39 — Founders Pledge: committing 5% early changes the whole conversation 21:05 — Ingredient transparency: percentages on the label, fixing the labeling game 23:32 — MPD's closing thoughts on the cat opportunity Links: Matt Michaelson: LinkedIn Smalls: Website, LinkedIn, X Interplay: Website, LinkedIn, XMPD: LinkedIn, X

    25 min

  3. May 21

    Building Companies From Scratch: Inside Interplay’s Studio

    Venture studios are quietly becoming one of the most effective models for company creation, but most people still don't understand what happens inside one. For this podcast episode I sat down with Andy Bilinsky, Partner at Interplay leading our Studio, to break down exactly how we build companies from the ground up. During our conversation, we covered: What a venture studio actually is and how it differs from traditional VCWhy do we research industries deeply before ever writing a business planThe role of operating partners as true co-foundersWhy second- and third-time founders are choosing to build with a studio instead of going soloHow Interplay went from 3 new companies in Q4 2025 to targeting 10+ in 2026 Big thanks to Andy for pulling back the curtain on how we build. We’re grateful to have him here at Interplay. ⏱️ Chapter Markers: 00:00 Introduction to Andy Bilinsky 01:15 Andy's Entrepreneurial Background 03:30 Early Career: Hyper-Growth at Haute Look 05:45 BeachMint, Science Incubator & Chirp Ads 08:00 Launching Lensable From Scratch 09:30 Why Andy Joined Interplay 13:00 What Is a Venture Studio? 15:30 Interplay's Thesis-Driven Approach 18:00 The Role of Operating Partners 20:30 What Makes a Great Studio CEO 24:00 Why Successful Founders Don't Go Solo 27:30 The Value of a Firm as Co-Founder 30:00 Administrative Support & De-Risking 33:00 Distributed Teams & Geographic Flexibility 35:00 Studio Growth: From 3 Companies to 10+ Links: Andy Blinsky: LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    27 min

  4. Mar 12

    The Rise of Private Credit: How $1T in Capital Is Reshaping Finance

    Private credit has exploded into a trillion-dollar asset class, but most people outside finance still don’t understand how it works. I sat down with Ivan Zinn, founder of Atalaya Capital Management and now part of Blue Owl Capital, to unpack the real mechanics behind the private credit market. Few people have a clearer view of how capital flows through the economy. During our chat we unpack: What private credit actually isWhy banks pulled back after the Global Financial CrisisHow private lenders stepped in to finance everything from consumer loans to equipment, infrastructure, and fintech platformsWhere entrepreneurs could build meaningful companies by modernizing the infrastructure behind asset management. Big thanks to Ivan for sharing such a thoughtful and practical perspective on the evolving capital markets ecosystem. ⏱️ Chapter Markers 00:00 Introduction to Ivan Zinn 01:40 What Private Credit Actually Is 03:05 Asset-Based Lending Explained 04:36 Why Banks Don’t Make These Loans 08:11 How Private Credit Filled the Financing Gap 09:19 Ivan’s Journey into Credit Investing 11:49 Why Scale Matters in Private Credit 16:32 Is There Still Room for Small Credit Managers? 18:35 The Rise of Fintech-Driven Lending Models 19:29 Biggest Mistakes New Credit Managers Make 24:46 What CEOs Get Wrong When Raising Debt 29:08 Aligning Expectations Between Lenders and Founders 31:16 Why Private Credit Is Still Technologically Behind 35:30 Massive Opportunities for Fintech Builders 40:06 Selling Atalaya Capital Management to Blue Owl 42:30 Should Asset Managers Go Public? 44:58 Final Advice for Fintech Entrepreneurs Links: Ivan Zinn: LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    46 min

  5. Feb 26

    Defying Gravity: A Lookback At 2025 & Deep Dive Into The Macro Forces Shaping 2026

    Is the global economy stronger than it looks or more fragile beneath the surface? If you’re trying to reconcile booming markets with rising geopolitical risk, this week’s episode brings an important perspective. I sat down with Chris Zhang, Partner & CIO of Ascend Interplay, to break down the real forces shaping 2026: How AI is shifting from a narrative to a measurable economic impactWhy labor markets may determine where we go nextGlobal structural shifts that are underway - from escalating Middle East tensions to the rise of protectionism - and what they imply for supply chains, inflation dynamics, and U.S. debt sustainability. Big thanks to Chris for a thoughtful, data-driven discussion. ⏱️ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Welcome & Why 2025 Defied Gravity 02:00 – Global GDP Surprise & Market Performance 03:30 – The Structural Bull Market in Gold & Silver 07:45 – When Would Gold Actually Fall? 10:00 – 2026 Outlook: Cautiously Constructive 11:45 – AI’s Real Impact on Productivity & Labor 14:30 – Middle East Conflict & Oil Markets 17:15 – Are Trade Wars Really Over? 19:30 – Structural Protectionism & Supply Chains 22:00 – The Americas Strategy & Regional Integration 26:30 – U.S. Debt: Is There a Real Solution? 29:45 – The Fed, Growth & Kevin Warsh’s Role 32:45 – Final Takeaways for 2026 Links: Chris Zhang: LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    34 min

  6. Feb 12

    Saving Healthcare: How Meroka Is Empowering Doctors To Stay Independent

    Why is U.S. healthcare so broken? If you're not sure why it’s so expensive or dysfunctional, this week’s podcast may illuminate the answers for you. I sat down with Alex Barrett, Cofounder & CEO of Meroka, who's tackling one of the root problems: Consolidation that strips doctors of autonomyMisaligned incentives across the systemOutdated models that sacrifice care for throughput 70% of doctors now work for big systems but Alex is charting a new path by giving independent practices scale, liquidity, and ownership without the need to sell out. Special thanks to Alex for joining the pod - this is one of the smartest takes I’ve heard on how to fix healthcare from the inside. ⏱️ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Welcome & Guest Intro 01:20 – What is Meroka? 03:30 – Why Independence Matters in Healthcare 05:30 – The Trade-Off Between Scale & Patient Experience 07:20 – Breaking Down Reimbursement Rates 10:30 – Why Scale Has Meant Consolidation—Until Now 14:50 – How Independent Practices Survive 17:00 – The Myth That Doctors Are Bad at Business 20:30 – Meroka’s Employee Ownership Model 23:50 – Comparing to Private Equity Models 26:00 – The Future of Healthcare as a Real Market 28:30 – Final Thoughts & Gratitude Links: Alex Barrett: LinkedInMeroka: Website, LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    29 min

  7. Jan 29

    The Power of Suggestion: Inside the Psychology of High-Stakes Selling

    This conversation blew me away. I sat down with Lydia Fenet, an auctioneer who’s raised over a billion dollars, and what started as a chat about charity auctions quickly turned into one of the most insightful masterclasses on sales, persuasion, and audience psychology I’ve ever heard. Lydia isn’t just good on stage, she’s world-class at reading people, building trust instantly, and closing with confidence. What’s wild is how much of what she does applies directly to startup life: pitching investors, closing enterprise deals, selling your vision. If you’re a founder, operator, or anyone in business, this episode is packed with tactics that’ll shift how you think about selling anything to anyone. ⏱ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Intro: Why Auctioneering Matters To Entrepreneurs 01:15 – Lydia’s Unconventional Path Into Auctioneering 04:00 – The High-Stakes World Of Charity Auctions 06:15 – Launching The First Auctioneer Talent Agency 08:00 – What Makes A Great Charity Auctioneer? 11:00 – Sales Psychology On Stage 13:45 – Audience Dynamics And Identifying Your “Auction Foil” 17:30 – Anchoring Luxury With Impact: Values-Based Selling 20:00 – The Power Of The Underbidder 22:00 – Auction Tactics That Apply To Enterprise Sales 25:00 – Selling With Empathy, Not A Script 27:30 – The Power Of Suggestion And Painting The Picture 31:00 – Closing Thoughts & Key Takeaways Links: Lyndia Fenet: Website, LinkedInBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You: Command an Audience and Sell Your Way to SuccessBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): Claim Your Confidence: Unlock Your Superpower and Create the Life You WantInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    32 min

  8. Jan 15

    The Gold Standard for Seed VC: Inside Primary

    Brad Svrluga has been a mentor and a close friend of mine for years. Watching him build Primary - one of the most respected firms in the industry - has been a masterclass in itself, so sitting down with him for this episode was a highlight I've been looking forward to and a great way to kick off the year. We went deep on an often overlooked topic in VC: How do you actually scale a firm's infrastructure? Whether you're a GP or a founder, Brad’s perspective on building a modern, institutional-grade firm is unmatched. ⏱ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Intro & Brad's Background 01:00 – What Primary Ventures Does Differently 03:20 – Incubation and Building Companies from Scratch 05:00 – Why Founders Pick Primary 07:00 – Inside the Operational Support Team 09:00 – Is There a Downside to Scaling a VC Firm? 10:30 – Culture and Structure at Primary 12:15 – Aligning Operational Teams with MOIC Goals 14:00 – Ben & Brad: cofounder Dynamics 17:30 – Why Brad Became a VC 21:00 – The Challenge of Scaling Venture Itself 24:00 – The Downfall of Venture Networks 26:00 – Scaling with Specialized Partners 30:00 – Rebranding and Starting Primary 31:30 – Advice for Emerging VCs: Sourcing, Picking, and LPs 38:50 – Wrap-Up and Reflections Links: Brad Svrluga: LinkedInPrimary: Website, LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    39 min
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Welcome to Innovation with Mark Peter Davis, a podcast dedicated to innovation, truth, and education. Through fireside chats with entrepreneurs, industry leading executives, and creative minded business folk, I'll highlight the society altering transformations that are happening all around us while providing crucial entrepreneurial advice. Pickup tips from founders who sold their company for hundreds of millions of dollars. Discover how everyday materials and goods are being reinvented by science. Learn about the current state of space exploration and the space industry from the CEO of a rocket company. Join him on this expedition to learn about the innovations that are changing our world and the way we exist. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Medium.

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